The Thoughts and Writing of Robert Wherry

2017 Spring April 4 Tuesday

Raining this morning, but also not feeling up to walking yet. I expect I will shortly, and I am definitely ready!

Strange that it has rained much of the time so I couldn’t walk even if I wasn’t sick. Or, at least I wouldn’t walk because of the rain.

I only had to go outside for the paper this morning to realize that even mildly cold weather sets off my coughing. I am going to have to start using the “puff” on a regular basis before I go out.

My first full day of work “in the field” went ok yesterday. I felt relatively good, which is what I was hoping for.

I probably mentioned that legislation was snaking (or maybe “sneaking”) through the state legislature to impose an extra “tax” on hybrid and electric vehicles.

It seems they think we aren’t paying our fair share since we don’t buy as much gas (or no gas in the case of electrics) so we aren’t paying our fair share for the roads.

The tax (they try to call it a “fee” to avoid requiring a 75% vote for raising a tax) would only be $30 on a hybrid and $100 on an electric.

However, what really concerns me is that hybrids and electric vehicles are targeted for an extra tax and also it would be an easy tax for the legislature to increase each year to the point it would discourage the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles.

However, strangely enough, this tax would go to the GENERAL FUND, where it would be used for pet projects, NOT the transportation fund where the gas tax revenues go!

Anyway, if they were really interested in vehicles paying their “fair share”, the trucks that really tear up the roads would be paying a lot more!

Of course, it is easy to tax hybrids and electrics since there are so few of them in this state, where pickups dominate the highways (and also probably tear up the roads on a proportionate basis than hybrids and electrics). Nothing against pickups/SUV’s (we have an SUV that more than pays it share of gas tax).

Also, there is the strange matter of the State Legislature giving a 100 million dollar per year subsidy to the “wind industry” for “clean energy” and then try to tax a “really” clean energy vehicle!

Hybrids and electrics are especially beneficial to city driving (and avoiding EPA restrictions etc.) because they don’t pollute while idling since they don’t idle, hybrids turn off while stopped and electrics of course are “off” all the time.

It is really strange in a state where there are all kinds of exceptions for taxes, that hybrids and electrics would be targeted for extra taxes.

I really feel it is the old adage “don’t tax him, don’t tax me, tax that person behind that tree”. Hybrids and electrics are “behind the tree”.

Anyway, I decided to try to do something about it instead of just complaining and boring everyone around me. I wrote the state legislature of reasons for opposing the tax on hybrids and electrics (at least make it a comprehensive review of the taxes paid by all vehicles) and the Governor to veto it if it passed, since it was targeted at hybrids and electrics, was a tax, and some other reasons.

Doubt that it will do any good, but I have gotten several positive responses. We’ll see.